Anna Milagros Rivera Memorial Scholarship

My career goal is to become an ER nurse and work in my underserved community. I chose a nursing career because I have always had a passion for helping others and want to make a change in my community. Gaining my nursing degree will enable me to help the underprivileged and give back to my community. Throughout my community, I have completed numerous clinical rotations at various hospitals. Health disparities are present in all communities but especially in the community I reside in. I think it's essential that everyone, regardless of skin color or socioeconomic background, gets the same medical care. Preventative health campaigns, health education programs, and community screenings are important for maintaining the overall health of the community. As a nurse, I will participate in these interventions to ensure all members of my community have the appropriate resources to live a healthy life. At my kindergarten graduation, I said when I grew up I wanted to be an ambulance driver. I always knew I wanted to be in the medical field, but my education got delayed when I became pregnant my senior year of high school. I graduated high school in June and gave birth to my daughter in September. At that time, I felt that I no longer had the option to attend college and felt it would be impossible to ever get a college degree. After going down many dead-end roads I decided it was time to follow my dreams and begin my journey to a nursing career. I got my AA at a community college and applied to the nursing program at CSUB. To my surprise, I received the email that I had been accepted and this changed my life drastically. I am currently finishing my last year of nursing school and have had many hardships throughout my time as a nursing student. Being a mom of two young children and a full-time student presented many challenges. I wanted to ensure I maintained good grades and did not neglect my kids. After long hours in the hospital, I would head straight to a sporting or school event to support my children. We live an hour away from my school so the time I have spent commuting has also been a hardship. Paying for childcare, gas to get to school, and other educational expenses throughout this time has been challenging. Winning this scholarship would help me with the extra expenses I have as a nursing student.

Growing up as a child of a single mother and living with my single mother has shown me to be strong. It has shown me to follow my dreams and goals, and not let anyone get or stand in my way. She has taught me that people may look down on me because I'm a minority female. Being a female of Puerto Rican descent has provided me with the strength to achieve my dreams and goals. I have seen all the women in my family provide when there wasn't a single way possible. All the women including my single mother have inspired me to do better than what they have accomplished. I am currently in my first semester of nursing school and it is difficult. But my mom has inspired me to not be discouraged when going to school. Also whatever my dream or goal is, I can achieve it with hard work and dedication. All the qualities that my mom holds, she is teaching and showing me those qualities. So that I can be a strong minority woman who achieves her dreams and goals. Since I am in nursing school, the ultimate goal is to have a BSN, RN behind my last name which would be Hernandez, BSN RN. I know that nursing school is not easy and I know that I have to work extremely hard to achieve the ultimate goal. As far as my goals during nursing school, would be to stay focused and use the inspiration from my mom to continue to push me. Also while in nursing school, I can use the inspiration to help my classmates by inspiring them if they are down and discouraged. In nursing school, this is the start of achieving my goals before actually becoming a nurse. Furthermore, finishing nursing school is bringing me one step closer to achieving the ultimate goal. After nursing school, my goals will be achieved and made possible, by graduating and passing boards. Which is something that seems very scary but I know the woman in my family have prepared me for any obstacles that could stand in my way. I know that the inspiration given from my childhood to the present will help me not to feel discouraged. Given the opportunity to apply for this scholarship will help my single mother know that her inspiration and dedication was worth her time as a parent. Lastly, her inspiration is what pushed me to achieve my goals and dreams of becoming a nurse and having my name be Hernandez, BSN RN.